A unique publication to commemorate the centenary of The English Hymnal in 2006 with contributions from some of the foremost personalities from the field of hymnody today, covering the background, development and hundred-year history of the most popular Anglo-Catholic hymnal ever published in this country.

Alan Luff

"This gives a fascinating insight into the thinking of the church in these years, and how a hymnbook can reflect these fashions. (...) Having grown up with The English Hymnal, I look forward to the future of this great book with undimmed enthusiasm, rekindled in no small way through Strengthen for Service, a useful reference book and a must for the shelves." David Leeke, Master of the Music, Shrewsbury Abbey, Praxis News of Worship, Spring 2006.

"This book I recommend without reservation, especially to anyone interested in the corporate song of the Church. From beginning to end each essay, complete in its content was of a comfortable legth making it a joy to anticipate the reading the one that followed! The collection of essays opens with a deeply personal and theologically profound foreword by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Although it is easy to pass over these introductory statements, this one is an absolute must for anyone reading the book and sets the standard for the breadth and depth of writing of the twenty-one essays that follow. (...)It would be very easy to list the many essays that are oustanding because of the comprhensiveness of their content and the quality of the writing(...) Strengthen for Service is a book I recommend without reservation. Reading it will be engaging, enlightening and inspirational!" Raymond f.Glover, The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, Richmond, Virginia, July/August 2006.

"Here is a commemorative volume which congregations and clergy, musicians and hymn-writer will want to have on their shelves - a volume that tells the story of one of the great landmarks in the history of worship in the Church of England, the influence of which is still very much with us today." Michael Tavinor, CMQ, March 2006.